Method of and apparatus for sampling anthracite coal



June 25, 1935. A. N. BROOKS 2,006,065

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING ANTHRACITE COAL Filed Feb. 2, 1935 2 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR, zfrifizzr/Vfimk,

June 25, 193$.

A. N. BROOKS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING ANTHRACITE COAL Filed Feb. 2, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY. I

Patented June 25, 1935 t V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 METHOD or AND APPARA TlJS Foa SAM- PLING ,ANTHRACITE con. 9

Arthur NhBroolrs, West Springfield, Mass. Application February 2, 1935, Serial No. 4,678

' roaring (01. 214-17) This invention relates to a method of and apwhich like numerals refer to like parts throughparatus for sampling anthracite coal. In the out:- i a distribution of anthracite coal from the mine, Arailroad car I, filled with anthracite coal 2, is railroad cars are loaded at the breakers, and it positioned beside a platform 3. A mast 4, mount- 5 has-heretofore been impossible to determine an edone tur tab h p v y Secured thereon 5 accurate analysis of the anthracite coal in a car, at 6, ab'oom I. A winch Bis mounted on the turnin regard to the proportion of slate and other table 5 and operated by a reversible motor 9, and impurities, due to the difliculty involved in procables and H, connected to the boom 1 at I! curing samples for a test. Samples of anthraand operatively connected to the Winch 8, serve to 10 cite coal have been taken from the top of the load a e a d lowe th boom as indicated in 10 and tested, but such tests are not satisfactory Struts l3, secured to a pivotal bearing M on the evidence of the average contents of the car. Some top of the mast 4 and to foundations l5, brace carsin use will take a nine foot depth' of anthe mast 4. A plunger shaft I 6, pivotally conthracite coal, and the coal, in such a carload, h d at IT to the Outer end of the boom 7, has l6 may vary considerably in proportionof impurisecured n wer d a receptacle As i ties, relative to the coal on the uppersurface of dieatedin 8 1 and the boom 7 y be wthe load, H ered to sink the receptacle into the anthracite t i an object of th invention t6 coal and raised to remove the receptacle theremethod and means for procuring a sample of an from, and the boom 7 y be swung to locate the I0 thracite coal for analysis from any desired-10* receptacle a a y desired sp on the p of the cation in a, carloa d an open pile or other car, 31nd to swing the recfiptacle Onto the platform of aggregation of units of anthracitecoal. form for unloading- The boom 7 is swung by B th method involved t t revolving the turntable 5, either mechanically, comprises first; the introduction of a receptacle by Operative connecting means to the motor 55 into a mass of anthracite coal and other material n shown) 7 manually, by means f to be sampled to a predetermined depth and at h Plunge! may be as mdlcated n a chosen location, second; the filling of the re- F134 1? to Show the depth of the receptacle, i

ceptacle with the material to be sampled; third; the the withdrawal of the filled receptacle, and Refemng to Flgsmluslve, the Plunger fourth; the discharge of the material in the re: F is e tubular member; Such as leilgth of Steel ceptacle at a convenient location for analysis. is'secmed at Its upper end m abearmg It is to be understoodthat the receptacleused member whim is Pmtany Secured at the r outer end of the boom 1. The lower end of the a 5 1:3 :53: capaclty as to weight plunger I6 is secured by welding, or other suit- A preferred form of apparatus for carrying out ed in the center of the receptacle 3 by ribs22.

the steps in the above process is illustrated in r I I The top of thereceptacle I8 is open, and isnorthe accompanymg drawmgs Whmh' mally.v closed by doors 23 which are hinged at 24 Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus, with the sampling receptacle positioned in a loadto the Slde walls 25 of the receptacle In closed 40 r position, the doors 23 rest on latches 26, and 40 ed arnthrtclte coal Shown m Sectmn' are thus prevented from being forced inwardly F 2 1S plan Vlew of the apparatus .5 into the receptacle l8 by pressure of coal on top m i of them. The latches 26 are pivotally supported mg 3 1s Vertlcal: Sectlonal of the e .within the plunger 16 ina clevis 21 and normally 4.! (eptacle and suppQrtmg P 1 project through slots 28, formed in the punger I6,

4 pamal, sectlona; Y 3. t to engage the doors 23. 'A contractile spring 29, showmg the open posltlon of or anchoredto a pipe plug 30, secured in the lower latches" 1 .end of the plunger 16 and connected to the latches Fi 5 is a p sectional view n the n 26 by means of a wire loop 3|, normally holds the of Fig. 3. latches 26 seated on inwardly projecting lugs 32, 50

. 1 6 is 31119111, Sectional View 011 the line +6 formed in the plunger I6. A cable 33, secured of and v 1 in the clevis 2B and guided by sheaves 34 and 35, Fig. 7 is a side, elevational view of the T8081):- pivotally. secured in :the plunger l6 and on the tacle. w boom'l, respectively, provides means for raising 65 Referring now to the drawings indetail. in the latches 26 torelease the doors 23, as indicated able. means, in a hub 2|; The hub 2| is support- 35 in Fig. 4. A plug 33 is secured to the plunger I6 to limit the upward movement of the clevis 21, thereby preventing disengagement of the latches 26 in the slots 28.

Doors 31, hinged at 38 to the bottom of the side walls of the container l8, are normally held in closed position against lugs 39, formed on the V-shaped end walls ill of the container l8 by engagement of a spring clip 4|. An opening 42, formed in one of the doors 3?,provides for the insertion of a hook or other tool, (not shown), for releasing the doors 31 to permit them to fall into the positions indicated. by dotted lines in Fig.3.

In operation, the boom 1 is swung. over a carload of anthracite coal, until the receptacle I8 is over the desired location andthen lowered to project, or force, the container l8 into the coal to the desired depth. The cable 33; is then operated to release the doors 23, which will fall into the positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus permitting ithe'anthracite coal to enter and fill the receptacle I3. The boom 1 is then raised, until the filled receptacle I8 is clear of the coal in the car, and swung around, until the receptacle 18 1s conveniently located on the platform 3. The doors 3'! are then opened to permit the anthracite coal in the receptacle to fall onto the platform. Afterdischarging its load of coal, the receptacle l8 is prepared for further operation by slamming the doors 3'! closed, and raising the d00rs23, releasing the latches 26, and resting the doors 23 on the latches 26.

Anthracite coal is generally sampled, as soon as the car leaves the breaker, and the coal is very loosely arrangedin the car. In this condition, the anthracite, coal ofiers a minimum of resistance to the insertion of the receptacle I8 and plunger It. However, if it should be desired to sample a carload of anthracite coal at its destination, instead of at itssource, in which case the coal would be more closely packed, the greater resistance offered by the coal may be overcome by the use of a heavier motor, Or by oscillation of the boom 7.

The important consideration of my invention is to definitely determine the percentage of slate and bone in a carload of anthracite coal before itleaves the breakers or mine.

At the present time, anthracite coal is cleaned, more or less thoroughly, as it leaves the break ers,-with what is known as Chance, or cone cleaners. This wellknown cleaner, or piece of apparatus, comprises a fixed cone-shape member, open at the bottom and within which an, agitator is located. The anthracite coal, as it leaves the breakers, is fed, or delivered, into the fixed, or stationary, cone-shaped member; An operator, at the same time, applies or supplies the coneshaped member with steam, under pressure, or a stream of running water, and, from time to time adds sand to the contents of the cone-shaped member. By adding sand to the .waterand anthracite coal therein, the specific gravity of the mixture of anthracite coal, sand and'watercan be changed, so that the. pieces of washed coal will float over the upper edge of the cone-shaped member, and then delivered to various size mesh of screen for separating, .or obtaining, the different sizes, or grades of anthracite coal.

During the operation of the Chance cleaner; if the specific gravity ofthe mixture is too low, or the mixture too thin, the anthracite coal will not readily,'or freely fioatover the upper edge of the Chance, or cone-shaped meniher, but some of the coal, with slate and bone will be discharged downward through its lower end. On the other hand, if the specific gravity is to be high by adding too much sand, the specific gravity of the mixture will be such that a large percentage of slate, bone and sand will flow over the upper edge, with the coal, to the sorting, or screen devices, from which it is delivered into the cars, ready for shipment, or delivery to a customer. In other words, the percentage of slate, bone and other impurities is directly controlled, or determined, by the attendant in charge.

After the car is loaded with anthracite coal, three samples of its contents, of 20 pounds each, is taken from the upper surface and tested in a laboratory for the percentage of slate, bone, and other impurities.

The result of this test is supposed to indicate to the purchaser that the same percentage of slate, bone, etc., will be the same through the entire contents of the car of anthracite coal. It has been found, from actual tests made, as the car is being unloaded, that the percentage of slate, bone, etc., is veryoften much greater at the middle portion, or bottom of the car, than the previous tests show on the upper surface of the load.

The final result of this Chance cleaner is that the public is not fully protected, when anthracite coal is cleaned this way.

My present invention, therefore, is to accurately determine the percentage of slate, bone, and other impurities, before the car leaves the breakers for delivery to a customer.

My invention, is therefore, designed to obtain samples, as stated, at various points, or parts, of the load, at the breakers, and before it is shipped away from the mines to a customer. If the tests, at the bottom of a load of anthracite coal, do not closely check with the tests on its upper surface, the car is then returned to the Chance cleaner for further cleaning.

By means of my invention, the customer is always assured of coal, as represented, when it leaves.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, in an apparatus for obtaining a sample of material for the purpose described, a receptacle, pivotally attached closure means connected to the lower edge of the receptacle, means for normally closing the said closure means, pivotally connected closure'means at the upper edge of the receptacle which is in normally closed-position, means for inserting the receptacle into a mass of material, means foropening the closure means at the upper edge of the receptacle to allow the material to enter the receptacle, and means for withdrawing the filled receptacle from the mass of 1 material.

2. A receptacle for obtaining a sample of anthracite coal when loaded on a car, discharge doors pivotally connected to the lower portion, of the receptacle and located in an inclined position to form a pointed end for easy insertion intothe coal, boom means for inserting the receptacle into the coal and removal therefrom, normally closed doors at the upper end of the receptacle for permitting the coal to enter the receptacle when opened, and means for releasing the latter doors after the receptacle has been inserted in the coal, said discharge doors being opened when the re ceptacle is emptied of its sample contents after withdrawal from the coal, said door-releasing means comprising a tubular member connected to the receptacle, latch means in the tubular member and normally extending under the free edges of the normally closed entrance doors, means for withdrawing the latch means, and means for returning the latch means after being operated.

3. A testing receptacle for anthracite coal comprising, a receiving member, closure doors at its upper end, discharge doors at its lower end and arranged in a V-shaped position when closed, a leaf spring engaging their lower ends for temporarily holding them closed, a tubular member connected to the receptacle, latches therein and normally projecting under the free edges of the closure doors, a spring for retaining the latches in this position, and means for withdrawing the latches to release the closure doors.

4. In combination, in a device for obtaining a sample of anthracite coal from a loaded car of the same, a pivotally mounted mast arm, a boom member secured to said arm, a hoisting drum, guy wires connected to the drum and boom for raising and lowering the same, a tubular member pivotally secured to and depending from the boom member, a sample receiving receptacle secured to the tubular member, upper closure doors on the receptacle which open inwardly, latch devices in the tubular member for retaining the doors closed, means for operating the latches to release the doors, discharge inclined arranged doors at the lower end of the receptacle, the construction being such that the coal to be sampled will enter the receptacle by gravity when inserted into a mass of coal and the closure doors opened.

ARTHUR N. BROOKS. 

